The Virtue of Selfishness

De: Ayn Rand

Narrado por: C. M. Hernert

Duración: 6 h y 15 m

Resumen del Editor

Ayn Rand here sets forth the moral principles of Objectivism, the philosophy that holds human life - the life proper to a rational being - as the standard of moral values and regards altruism as incompatible with human nature, with the creative requirement of survival, and with a free society.

Ms. Rand's unique philosophy, Objectivism, has gained a worldwide audience. The fundamentals of her philosophy are set forth in this insightful piece of nonfiction.

©1961 Ayn Rand; 1961 by the Objectivist Newsletter Incorporated (P)2000 Blackstone Audiobooks

Something EVERY person should stop and consider..

If you could give The Virtue of Selfishness a new subtitle, what would it be?

Don't let the loafers paint you into a corner...

Any additional comments?

This is SO timely and pertinent to our present society's propensity to blame someone else ~ particularly someone successful ~ for personal failures and disappointments. Rand makes it crystal clear that the framing of the dialogue creates a biased game ... and if one doesn't recognize the rules of the game then one is doomed to lose.Owning our own "mom & pop" businesses, we have experienced the challenges to making them successful. I wish I had read Rand BEFORE we got started, so I could better understand that we were entitled to whatever success we created ... and that those who chose NOT to work at success the way we did were entitled to whatever they created ... but NOT to OURS. And that we shouldn't be ashamed for our success, nor feel responsible for others' lack.Rand describes why it is individual drive that creates buildings out of dreams, industry out of raw materials, and even shapes the improvement of living standards ~ and that the drive of individuals should be honored, not disemboweled.

Objectivism Theory is a must read

For the ones that love to ready about economic or government philosophy this is a must read book. Any Rand presents her concept of objectivism and the implications for society and human been. Above everything is the “individual human right”. Individualism is what drives morality and ethics. But been a individualist doesn’t means to neglect other human been. Better. Being a individualist is the best way to praise others.

A must read for intellectuals.

Basic info that one needs in order to get along in life and not buy into irrationality.

A necessary primer to understand Objectivism.

If you are interested in delving into the philosophy of Objectivism well this audio book is the best book written by Ayan Rand to start with as a primer in my own opinion. This book lays out many of the key principles and arguments necessary to understand the underlying philosophical foundations Objectivism itself. It is also worth picking up because the key philosophical social issues and dangers that Ayn Rand discusses and points to at the time which Western nations were facing are still around. E. g. the many faces of rabid collectivism (and in it's lesser guise tribalism) that fuels the self-destructive nature of the proponents of this cannibalism of individualism and humanistic societal improvements. In fact in many respects far they are more rampant and destructive then in the past because they have eaten away at the philosophical and idealogical foundations that have allowed Western nations to flourish.

Excellent in All Areas

The logic, the moral foundation, the clear reading, and the timeless relevance makes this one of, if not the best, audiobooks I've ever heard. I will certainly buy a hard copy as soon as I can.

Should have read this long back.

Loved it..
Learnt a lot reading this book.
This book is a learning at any times..

Robust Metaethics

Ayn Rand’s analysis of capitalist and socialist societies is liable to generate projects that would address the inhuman sides of both systems and reinforce their respective benefits for individuals and societies.

Difficult, but worth it...

This is one of the most difficult and worthwhile books I've ever read (or listened to). There are a lot of mistaken notions about what Rand does or doesn't believe. Please set those aside, because many of them aren't true and others are only half-true. In order to really understand what she believes, you need to read her non-fiction. This is a good place to start because while this book is certainly complex and challenging, its topics and terminology isn't nearly as esoteric as, say, "Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology." This book really questions a lot of long-standing beliefs and notions about morality. The term "selfishness" is defined differently by Rand, so listen for that (otherwise, the book won't make sense or might seem sadistic). She also points out some of the unreasonable presumptions inherent in altruism — for example, that something can be labeled as "good" solely on the account of having been done for others. That is not a valid basis for morality. Think of the large numbers of mentally ill patients who were lobotomized in years past with the justification: "it's for their own good." Even Adolf Hitler had explained away his murder of Jews, Romani, the mentally ill, homosexuals, and various other groups with the explanation that it was for the good of others (in this case, Germany). But, was it the right thing to do? Of course not. To do FOR others is not necessarily to do GOOD for others. Conflating these two causes problems, as Rand outlines in the text. While the explanations here are sometimes impressively crisp and passionate, it does suffer from brevity. The works in this book were originally articles, so they don't provide the depth necessary to really understand everything mentioned. When an explanation seems too brief or there's an allusion to another work, that is why: these are articles, not an in-depth explanation of the intricacies of her philosophy. I found it useful to supplement this text with: "Philosophy: Who Needs It." If you really wish to understand her philosophy, stick to her non-fiction works. Without knowing her intentions, her fiction can be interpreted many different ways and so it won't really help you to understand this book or her philosophy any better. By reading her non-fiction, you'll get a direct explanation from Rand herself on what she believes. This is definitely the book I'd recommend to start with. You may need to pick up a hard copy, as well (I did and found it helpful). It is enjoyable to listen to, but sometimes the topic is too deep or complex to listen to, it must be seen and sat with for a while. It's worth the struggle, though. After reading this, I felt relieved that it was over because it was exhausting to excavate my mental landscape to such a degree. But, when I saw how it changed my life, how it rippled out and positively benefitted me, I couldn't have been happier that I took the time to read her work. I surely don't agree with everything she says (either here or in her other works). But, I respect her intelligence and strength and I find her work beneficial and thought-provoking. That, to me, is very worthwhile and as such, I'd highly recommend it to others.

Brilliant perspective that is sorely missed today.

Brilliantly read! Refreshing to hear perspectives that were widely spoken years ago but seem to be incredibly rare today. Really makes you look at things differently. Great read!

The Publisher Must Have Come Up With the Title

There was only one chapter on selfish - Rand covers a lot more, which was honest and refreshing - she had a lot of good (and original) observations. Sad that academic philosophers try to demean her by calling her a 'popular philosopher' when she thought circles around them.